Hidden Depths

Chapter 13 - Rich Runs

The bouncers all ducked behind their curtains to lock their doors and find out which entrance had been compromised. Assuming that they were being attacked by terrorists, the guests fell apart. Rich was used to seeing the powerful and wealthy regulars swanning around the club with an entitled air of supreme confidence, but the prospect of a murderous assault by armed terrorists was the ultimate leveller and the general air of elite arrogance evaporated as the room descended into horrified disarray.

Trixy jumped up immediately. 'There's no way terrorists could have got past our sensors,' she said with certainty. 'It must be the cops. But I don't understand it, we've been paying them off for years, they don't even look for us anymore.'

Two of the bouncers came out from behind their curtains shouting 'police', then the name of their tunnel, before dramatically closing their curtains. Realising their lives were not in danger, the guests all calmed down considerably, but Rich noticed Nikolai's face change from mild concern to total panic. The other bouncers threw open both their curtains and doors and, in a seemingly well-practised drill, the hosts took their guests towards their nearest exits.

Layla and Nikolai, who had stopped arguing the moment the lights started flashing, shot into the office area where all the cash takings and the electronic betting server was kept. Although Rich had been working at the club for well over half a year, they hadn't practised an evacuation since he had been there, and it seemed like he was the only member of staff not to know what he was doing. Trixy, though, was well versed.

'Come on, let's get him moving,' she said.

With no hint of the fact that she had almost been strangled to death only moments earlier, Trixy grabbed Brodie's good ankle and half squatting, half leaning backwards she started dragging him across the canvas to the ropes. Although he wondered if Kio had anything to do with the uninvited guests, Rich picked up one of his massive ankles and leant back to try and drag him off the stage in the same way.

'Leave that filth, Rich,' instructed Trixy, 'you need to help me get Brodie down.'

Half way through a heave, Rich dropped King Kio's leg and it crashed down across his other one, further crushing what little was left between them. As Kio retched and groaned, Rich propelled himself forward and slid across the canvas on his side, slipping under the ropes in time to catch Brodie and help him to the floor.

Grabbing Brodie's arm, he threw it over his shoulder and in a second Trixy was under the other one, so they could make their way at top speed to the nearest exit. They were about to dip through it when Layla came out of the office screaming Rich's name.

'Go help the boss,' Trixy said.

'Are you sure you can cope without me?' Rich asked.

'Yeah, I'll manage her by myself from here,' Brodie joked.

There was no time to continue the banter so Rich just wished them luck before rushing over to the office. He got there just as Nikolai came out carrying one heavy-looking backpack and dragging another behind him.

'Rich, you take this one,' he said, using all his strength to chuck the bag he was dragging half a metre towards Rich, who swept down to pick it up.

'What the hell have you got in them?' Rich asked struggling to heave it onto his shoulders.

'Euros,' Nikolai replied. 'Lots of euros.'

'Layla, you get the doors. Rich, you try and keep up.'

Like a man possessed, Nikolai sprinted towards the door Rich had come in through on his first night and bolted straight into the tunnel that was guarded by the noisy stuffed dogs.